At the Met Gala Monday night, comedian and late-night television host Jimmy Fallon expressed his support for the Writers Guild of America’s general strike, but his employees don’t believe him.
“I wouldn’t have a show without my writers,” Fallon said, “I support them all the way.” But Sarah Kobos, a senior photo research coordinator for Fallon’s The Tonight Show, begs to differ.
Sarah Kobos called out her boss in a tweet, saying:
What’s Happening and Why
Sarah herself is not a striking worker; she is not a writer, so she doesn’t belong to the WGA, but her livelihood is affected all the same. During the strike, many late-night shows will be “going dark” or shutting down until the strike is over. “NBC decided to stop paying us after this week and end our health insurance after this month if the strike is ongoing,” she explains, “they won’t even tell us if we will technically be furloughed. Just active employees who aren’t paid.”
The WGA moved forward with their strike starting May 2nd after six weeks of contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) failed. The WGA demands increased minimum compensation, residuals, pensions and health care contributions, and TV writing compensation. They are also demanding strengthened professional standards and protections for writers.
Celebrities Showing Support
Celebrities like Quinta Brunson, Amanda Seyfried, and John Mulaney have all expressed their support for the strike. Others like Rob Lowe, Natasha Lyonne, and Ike Barinholtz have been spotted attending protests. It is still too early in the strike to tell just how the strike will affect the shows and movies we watch. The WGA is still willing to negotiate, as long as the AMPTP is willing to take their demands seriously.
As for the employees of The Tonight Show, we can only hope they get paid fairly.
Update: Sarah confirmed on May 3rd that Jimmy Fallon did attend the next production meeting and has convinced NBC to give their employees another week of pay, and then he will pay the third week himself. They will maintain their healthcare until September.
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